Protective devices



Dec. 18, 1962 c, BOWMAN 3,068,863

PROTECTIVE DEVICES Filed Nov. 19, 1959 Fig.6

INVENTOR Fig 5 Charles L. Bowman.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,068,863 PROTECTIVE DEVICES Charles L.Bowman, 4520 Cherokee Trail, Dallas, Tex. Filed Nov. 19, 1959, Ser. No.854,081 2 Claims. (Cl. 128132) This invention relates to protectivedevices and more particularly to a patch attachable to the face andeyelid of the wearer to protect the eye.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved protectivedevice for the human eye.

Another object is to provide an eye patch which prevents the access oflight to the eye of the wearer.

Still another object is to provide an eye patch detachably securable tothe eyelid and surrounding portions of the face of the wearer to keepthe eyelid in closed position and prevent access of light to the eye.

A further object is to provide an eye patch having a configurationconforming to the contours of the human face about the eye and having anadhesive substance along at least its peripheral edges whereby theperipheral edge portions of the eye patch are continuously attachable tothe face to prevent passage of light to the eye.

A still further object is to provide an eye patch conforming to theconfiguration of the face of the wearer about the eye and having apressure sensitive adhesive layer for attaching the eye patch to the eyeand preventing access of light thereto.

Another object is to provide an eye patch having an upper convexperipheral edge, a convex peripheral outer edge extending from one endof the upper peripheral edge of the eye patch and to a bottom convexperipheral edge and a concave peripheral inner edge extending from theother end of the upper convex peripheral edge and merging with theconvex bottom edge to form a nose tab securable to the side of thebridge of the nose adjacent the eye whereby the eye patch is securableto the face of the wearer in a continuous manner about its peripheraledge portions to prevent access of light to the eye.

Another object is to provide an eye patch having an adhesive layer onone side thereof and having a protective strip preventing contact of theeyelashes of the wearer with the adhesive substance.

A still further object is to provide an eye patch having an adhesivelayer for securing peripheral edge portions of the patch to the face ofthe wearer adjacent the eye, a portion of the eye patch being free ofsaid adhesive substance whereby the eyelashes of the wearer will not.contact the adhesive substance.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readilyapparent from the reading of the following description of a deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a person wearing the eye patch embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an eye patch assembly showingprotective cover strips of the eye patch in partly open position;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the eye patch assembly embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of an eye patch adapted to be secured to theface to protect the left eye of a wearer; and,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing a modified form of theeye patch for protecting the right eye of the wearer.

Referring now to the drawings, the eye patch 10 assembly includes aprotective patch 11, which may be of a fabric or plastic flesh coloredsubstance, whose inner side has a layer 12 of pressure sensitiveadhesive or glue which will adhere to the human skin. The protectivepatch 11 is irregularly shaped having an upper peripheral convex edge 15which is substantially an arc of a circle. An outer peripheral edge 16is also convex in configuration describing an arc of larger radius thanthe radius of the are describing the upper edge. The bottom peripheralconvex edge 17 describes an arc of smaller radius than the radii of thearcs described by the upper, and outer edges and extends from the outeredge to the concave inner peripheral edge 18 which extends to the innerend of the upper edge 15 to form a nose tab 20.

The patch 11 having this particular configuration is adapted to engagethe face of the wearer in a continuous smooth manner all around the eyewith the nose tab bending angularly outwardly at the point of itsengagement with the side of the bridge of the nose of the wearer.

An eyelash strip 22 is secured to the patch 11, due to its contact withthe adhesive layer 12, and is so positioned that when the piece 11 issecured to the face of the wearer, the eyelash strip 22 covers theeyelashes of the wearer whereby the eyelashes are protected from contactwith the adhesive layer. It will be apparent that the eyelash strip 22extends between the convex and concave side edges 16 and 18 of the piece-11 and is disposed between the upper and lower edges 15 and 17,respectively.

The eye patch 11 may be provided with protective strips 25 and 26. Theprotective strip 26 has an outwardly turned tab portion 27 which isoverlain by the inner edge or tab portion 28 of the protective strip 26when the strips are in their closed relationship as illustrated inFIGURES 3 and 4 whereby eye patches may be easily stored in plasticenvelopes, receptacles orthe like for storage and sale.

The eye patch 11a shown in FIGURE 6 is exactly similar to the eye patch11 except that in order to protect the eyelashes, the adhesive layer 12ais provided, instead of with the eyelash strip 22, with a slot oropening 40 therein so that the eyelashes of the person wearing the eyepatch 11a will be in alignment with the slot 40 and will contact theinner surface of the eye patch 11a instead of the adhesive layer. Theeye patch 11a of course is the mirror image of th eye piece 10 so thatit is usable with the right eye whereas the eye patch 10 is usable onthe left eye. It will of course be apparent that either the left eye orright eye patch may be provided alternatively either with the eyelashstrip 22 or with the slot 49 in the adhesive layer of the eye patch.

It will now be seen that the eye patch assembly 10 may be prepared foruse by grasping the two tab portions 27 and 28 of the protective strips25 and 26 and pulling them in opposite directions to expose the eyelashprotector strip 22 and the adhesive layer 12 of the eye patch 11. Theeye patch is then placed over the eye in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 1 wherein the upper edge portions thereof overlie the eyelid ofthe wearer and the portions of the face of the wearer immediately belowthe eyebrow. The nose tab 20 is then bent outwardly to contact the sideof the bridge of the nose of the wearer while the side and bottom edgeportions contact the face of the wearer on opposite sides of and belowthe eye. Since the adhesive layer extends continuously about the eyelashprotective strip 22, peripheral edge portions of the adhesive layer 12continuously contact the face of the wearer about the eye while theportions thereof immediately above the eyelash strip 22 contact theupper portion of the eyelid of the wearer. In this manner, the eyelid iskept in closed position and the adhesive layer prevents access of light.to the eye along all peripheral edges of the patch 11 which may besubstantially opaque, if desired. As a result, no light can reach theeye. The eyelash strip 22 overlies the eyelashes and prevents theeyelashes from coming into contact with the adhesive strip whereby whenthe piece 11 is removed from the eye, there is no pain or loss ofeyelashes.

It will now be seen that the eye patch is made of a somewhatopaquesubstance, such as a fabric or a plastic substance which may besuitably colored, having one side provided with a layer of adhesivewhereby the patch may be secured to the face of the wearer withperipheral continuous edge portions of the adhesive layerbeingin contactwith the face of the wearer whereby no gaps or openings will existbetween the face of the wearer and the patch through which alight mightreach the eye.

It will further be seen that the adhesive layer overlies the eyelid andholds it in closed position even though, due to irritation ornervousness, the eyelid would otherwise tend'to move to open positionand permit light to enter the eye. It will thus be seen that the eyepatch not only itself prevents access of light to the eye but also.holds the eyelid in closed position whereby the eyelid also combineswith the eye patch to doubly insure the prevention of access of light tothe eye. The access'of light in certain cases of injury or disease ofthe eye may prove very harmful thereto and for this reason the eye patchmust prevent any access. of light thereto. In addition, the holding ofthe eyelid in closed position by the eye patch results in greatercomfort of the wearer since he does not have to be under the continuousstrain of consciously holding the eyelid in the 'closed position.

It will further be seen that the eye patch is light in weight andconforms to. the contours or configuration of the face of the wearerwhereby it is comfortable to wear.

It will beapparent thatif desired the eyelash strip 22 may be omitted ifa resultant discomfort to the wearer dueto the adhesion of the eyelashesto the adhesive layer 12 is of no importance.

It will also be apparent that if desired, the eyelash strip 22 may beomitted if the adhesive layer is provided with a slot of correspondingsize and location whereby the eyelashes would contact the eye patch butnot the adhesive layer since such slot in the adhesive layer would bepositioned in alignment with the eyelashes of the wearer.

It will now be seen that the eye patch is of such configuration that itwill contact the face of the wearer in a continuous manner about theeye.

It will further be seen "that instead of two protective strips 25 and 26provided with the tab portions 27 and 28, a single protective layermight be employed to. protect the adhesive layer and the eyelash stripprior to the use of the eye patch.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, andchanges in the details of the construction illustrated may be made bythose skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: V a

l. A protective device including: a protective patch having a convexupper edge, a convex outer edge extending downwardly and inwardly fromone end of said; upper edge, a lower convex edge of shorter radius thanfsaid upper edge and said outer edge, and an inner concave edge extendingfrom the lower edge to the other end of said upper edge to forma tabportion; an adhesive layer on one side of said patch; and a protectivestrip disposed on said adhesive layer intermediate the edges of thepatch 2. A protective device including: a protective patch having aconvex upper edge, a.convex outer edge extending downwardly and inwardlyfrom one end of said References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED'STATES PATENTS- 1,642,661 Robinson Sept. I3, 1927 2,572,638 LOOSOct. 23, 1951 2,734,503 Doyle Feb; 14, 1956 2,807,262 Lew Sept; 23,

